Israel Press - Up to date Israel news

Watch: Netanyahu welcomes Pollard’s release

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday issued a video statement welcoming the release from an American prison of Jonathan Pollard.

“As someone who raised his case before successive U.S. presidents many times, I longed for this day, and now after three long and difficult decades, Jonathan is being released,” Netanyahu said.

“I wish him on this first Sabbath that he’s going to spend with his family a lot of joy, a lot of happiness, a lot of peace. May these be the hallmarks of the rest of his life,” added the Prime Minister.

Israeli politicians welcomed Pollard's release Friday. Jewish Home chairman Naftali Bennett and opposition leader and Zionist Union chairman Yitzhak Herzog both – issued the same exact message: Baruch Matir Asurim, "Blessed be the One who frees prisoners," a blessing from the morning service said daily.

The Knesset Caucus for Jonathan Pollard noted in the hours after the release that they would not stop working on his behalf, and that the next goal is to demand that any restrictions on him be lifted in accordance with his basic rights.

While MKs have continued to release responses, Netanyahu has reportedly asked ministers not to conduct interviews with the media over Pollard's release.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)